STM's New ADSL Line Driver Chip

I wish that more chip vendors would give names to their silicon wonders instead of those boring old part numbers. Even if they make sense to some, those numbers can sure make for crappy headlines (hence my avoidance here). Despite lacking a name, those of you designing tools for ADSL may still be interested in hearing about STMicroelectronics' new class AB line driver for central office Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL). The STLC60133N dissipates less than 700mW when used with a 1:1 turns ratio transformer and lets you set the supply current through digital control inputs to values as low as 60% of the current required for full rate transmission. The new chip is a plug-in replacement for the previous STLC60133 type, allowing existing boards to be upgraded. The STLC60133N is assembled in a 4 x 9mm HTSSOP28 plastic package and to further increase board density, STM is now developing a two-channel version of the same circuit. The STLC60133N is designed for the STM's proprietary BCD5 submicron bipolar-CMOS-DMOS mixed technology, which is said to allow DC current down to 3.5mA for each op amp plus high AC efficiency with DMOS output stages having a voltage drop better than 1V. For future xDSL applications, ST is developing a new group of ADSL line drivers that it says will further reduce power dissipation and a new silicon-on-insulator (SOI) version of BCD technology for VDSL.